Forerunner to a world university?

'If music be the food of love, play on', said the bard. The music wizard of India A R Rahman has decided to play on. This music Director and Composer is taking a new role, that of a Founder and Principal of a Music Conservatory, KM. He declines to clarify as to what these two alphabets stood for. He simply says this close to his heart. For him music is the passion flowing endlessly from his heart.

India has been, from time immemorial, the nurturing home of music. However, we are inward looking. The time has now come for us to open up. Already, Musicians like Dr L Subramaniam have been deeply involved in fusion music an amalgam of Indian and Western music. A new form of music is already evolving in the world arena.

It is a pity that we don't have a symphony orchestra at home. Rehmans and Ilayarajas are compelled to go abroad to create orchestras of high quality. When the world is shrinking and music is becoming more and more universal in its appeal across cultures, in its language, in melody, in harmony, in rhythm, we have to boost the level of musical proficiency which the emerging wider culture demands.

Let's hope that A R Rahman's KM Music conservatory will substantially contribute to this end and who knows it might be a percusser toa World University. Let's wait to listen to that new melody. After all, Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter.

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